Industry perspectives on carbon-offset programs in Canada and the United States
Carbon offsetting is often put forward as a possible mitigation strategy for climate change. This study examines carbon-offset businesses in Canada and the United States to better understand their standards, project types, and project locations and to determine their perspectives regarding the chall...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2012-08-01
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Series: | Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://sspp.proquest.com/archives/vol8iss2/1101-001.dodds.html |
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author | Rachel Dodds Ilan Kelman Natalie Thiesen Alison McDougall Joshua Garcia Tim Bessada |
author_facet | Rachel Dodds Ilan Kelman Natalie Thiesen Alison McDougall Joshua Garcia Tim Bessada |
author_sort | Rachel Dodds |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Carbon offsetting is often put forward as a possible mitigation strategy for climate change. This study examines carbon-offset businesses in Canada and the United States to better understand their standards, project types, and project locations and to determine their perspectives regarding the challenges of the carbon-offset industry. Twenty companies (a 40% response rate) agreed to a structured interview, although many were reluctant to share some information. Several salient themes emerged and are discussed in more detail: involvement of the hospitality and tourism industry, financial commitment, confusion in the marketplace, transparency, and needs for education. Implementation of three recommendations—covering standardization, education, and further engagement among the industry, its customers, and researchers—could reduce confusion and increase the transparency of carbon offsetting. Yet these changes might not help business since customers might decide that purchasing carbon offsets does little to address climate change. |
first_indexed | 2024-12-21T07:11:00Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-32ef21f3bc5a49a283fce1bf3e8995f7 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1548-7733 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-12-21T07:11:00Z |
publishDate | 2012-08-01 |
publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
record_format | Article |
series | Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy |
spelling | doaj.art-32ef21f3bc5a49a283fce1bf3e8995f72022-12-21T19:11:58ZengTaylor & Francis GroupSustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy1548-77332012-08-01823141Industry perspectives on carbon-offset programs in Canada and the United StatesRachel DoddsIlan KelmanNatalie ThiesenAlison McDougallJoshua GarciaTim BessadaCarbon offsetting is often put forward as a possible mitigation strategy for climate change. This study examines carbon-offset businesses in Canada and the United States to better understand their standards, project types, and project locations and to determine their perspectives regarding the challenges of the carbon-offset industry. Twenty companies (a 40% response rate) agreed to a structured interview, although many were reluctant to share some information. Several salient themes emerged and are discussed in more detail: involvement of the hospitality and tourism industry, financial commitment, confusion in the marketplace, transparency, and needs for education. Implementation of three recommendations—covering standardization, education, and further engagement among the industry, its customers, and researchers—could reduce confusion and increase the transparency of carbon offsetting. Yet these changes might not help business since customers might decide that purchasing carbon offsets does little to address climate change.http://sspp.proquest.com/archives/vol8iss2/1101-001.dodds.htmlclimatic changemitigationcompaniesmarket economygreenhouse gassesquestionnaires |
spellingShingle | Rachel Dodds Ilan Kelman Natalie Thiesen Alison McDougall Joshua Garcia Tim Bessada Industry perspectives on carbon-offset programs in Canada and the United States Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy climatic change mitigation companies market economy greenhouse gasses questionnaires |
title | Industry perspectives on carbon-offset programs in Canada and the United States |
title_full | Industry perspectives on carbon-offset programs in Canada and the United States |
title_fullStr | Industry perspectives on carbon-offset programs in Canada and the United States |
title_full_unstemmed | Industry perspectives on carbon-offset programs in Canada and the United States |
title_short | Industry perspectives on carbon-offset programs in Canada and the United States |
title_sort | industry perspectives on carbon offset programs in canada and the united states |
topic | climatic change mitigation companies market economy greenhouse gasses questionnaires |
url | http://sspp.proquest.com/archives/vol8iss2/1101-001.dodds.html |
work_keys_str_mv | AT racheldodds industryperspectivesoncarbonoffsetprogramsincanadaandtheunitedstates AT ilankelman industryperspectivesoncarbonoffsetprogramsincanadaandtheunitedstates AT nataliethiesen industryperspectivesoncarbonoffsetprogramsincanadaandtheunitedstates AT alisonmcdougall industryperspectivesoncarbonoffsetprogramsincanadaandtheunitedstates AT joshuagarcia industryperspectivesoncarbonoffsetprogramsincanadaandtheunitedstates AT timbessada industryperspectivesoncarbonoffsetprogramsincanadaandtheunitedstates |